Real peace in our region - Nikol Pashinyan

ArmInfo.Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is in the Republic of Poland on an official visit, visited the Polish Institute of International Relations and met with foreign ambassadors, diplomats and representatives of think tanks in Poland.

Nikol Pashinyan made a speech, touching upon the peace established  between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister emphasized that  the architecture of peace is based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration  and the peace process reached its peak on August 8, with the signing  of the joint declaration on the framework for peace between Armenia  and Azerbaijan adopted in Washington on the initiative and  participation of US President Donald Trump. According to the Prime  Minister, without the participation, personal involvement and  initiative of the US President, the peace process would have been  uncertain, and it is undeniable that the initiative and participation  of the US President played a very important role for peace in the  region.

"Now it is very important to emphasize that 2025 was the first year  since our independence when there were no border casualties due to  gunfire between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops. And now there is  real peace in our region," Nikol Pashinyan noted, adding that peace  is under construction, which must be taken care of. "That is the main  idea that I am trying to convey to our people, that now we have  peace, but peace must be strengthened, institutionalized, and for  this we need to make continuous efforts, because peace exists, but it  cannot be neglected, otherwise it may be destroyed," the Prime  Minister said.

The Prime Minister also spoke about other important stages for  establishing peace in the region, including the meeting with the  President of Azerbaijan at the invitation of French President  Emmanuel Macron and the President of the European Council Charles  Michel on October 6, 2022, within the framework of the first summit  of the European Political Community. According to Nikol Pashinyan,  with this, Armenia and Azerbaijan decided to recognize each other's  territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence, based  on the Alma-Ata Declaration.

In his speech, the Prime Minister also touched upon the work being  done to implement the agreements reached, spoke about the strategic  investment program, the Trump Route, and the unblocking of regional  communications. "It is very important to note what will happen now,  what the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity is. As I  said, it is an investment project on the territory of Armenia and it  will include a railway through the territory of Armenia, which will  connect the east and the west, including the main part of Azerbaijan  with the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan and will open the railway  connection for Armenia to the south. Of course, it will also create  new opportunities for the European Union, because as you know, due to  the geopolitical situation, we now have a supply chain crisis in the  world, and the Trump Route, which is a very important part of the  Armenian Government's "Crossroads of Peace" project, will create a  new road, a new supply route from east to west, from the European  Union to Central Asia, from Central Asia to the European Union,"  Nikol Pashinyan noted.

In his speech, the Prime Minister also touched upon Armenia- Turkiye  relations, emphasizing that in recent years there has been a fairly  active dialogue with Turkiye.  "Of course, we are also grateful to  our neighbors, as it is very important to note that our neighbors,  Georgia and Iran, have always supported this peace process," Nikol  Pashinyan noted, adding that all states in the region are already  feeling the benefits of peace and expressing confidence that this  process will reconcile the entire region.

Summing up his speech, the Prime Minister noted: "We all consider the  South Caucasus our home, and we need to take care of the South  Caucasus. I believe that this process has begun, and to be honest, it  is my impression and my conviction that this peace and this  constructive process are irreversible."

Then the Prime Minister answered questions of interest to foreign  ambassadors, diplomats and representatives of think tanks in Poland.